REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 105 



eight iioiuted panels are iiigouioiisly altereil aud adai)ted to tliesaiiu; end. The sur- 

 face of the guard is ornamented witli similar work, and it is only necessary to meu- 

 tion that thetvo ends running parallel with the hlade terminate in tlie heads of 

 monsters, from each of which springs an elegant openwork border of sjiiral scrolls, 

 enameled in white and other colors. The bhide is straight, aud has the stamp of 

 the armorer upon one side. The sheath is of red leather, though very little of this 

 foundation is visible, as one-half of its length is hidden by mounts matching those 

 of the sword itself, and these fit into each other so closely that when the sword is 

 in the scabbard it is impossible to distinguish where the guard ends and the scab- 

 bard mounts begin. This sword is described, and the inscriptions are given, by 

 Senor Kiano, p. 84. 



"The enameled details upon this sword are of jteculiar interest, not only for 

 their intrinsic merits, which are very great, but also as serving to decide the origin 

 of the beautiful stirrups in the Forman collection. These stirrups were exhibiteil 

 before the Society of Antiiiuities of London, and are described in their proceedings 

 (Vol. XIV, 169). It is sufficient here to say that they are of Moorish form, (»f iron, 

 plated with silver, which is engraved with Oriental designs, while upon the sides 

 are semicircular plates of silver with nielloed designs somewhat in the style of 

 the arabesciues of Aldegrever. Around these are borders of cloisonne enamel on gold, 

 in style and execution so like the sword just described that there can be little ques- 

 tion as to their common origin, though it is probable that the sword is earlier in 

 date by perhaps a quarter of a century. The niello plates of the stirrups also 

 could very well be of a Spanish make, as the use of the niello is not uucommon, both 

 in Moorish and Christian work of medieval and later times. An example of this is 

 near at hand, in the second sword shown by the Marques de Viane. This is more a 

 weapon for use than for parade, and is a simple form, Ijy no means beautiful, though 

 the details are planned and carried out with the greatest skill. Like the other, it 

 has a straight blade, apparently also of Christian make, or at least not Moorish; the 

 handle is entirely of ivory, the grip cylindrical, with a thicker cylinder above and 

 below, and forming the pommel, being slightly curved inward at the sides. The 

 whole handle is engraved with beautiful scroll work, brought into relief by an 

 inlay of black substance, probably akin to niello, and upon the sides of the pommel 

 is the shield of arms of the kings of Granada, as seen upon the azulejos of the 

 Alhambra. The scabbard is in keeping with the modesty of the sword, being a 

 plain leather sheath, tooled like a bookbinding with a scale pattern, aud having a 

 silver mount and chape, the former engraved and nielloed with Arabic inscriptions 

 and the shield of Granada, and the chape engraved in a similar manner. The con- 

 trast between this simple and useful weapon and the gorgeous blade shown beside 

 it is most remarkable and instructive, aud the fortunate owners of them botb may 

 be congratulated on the possession of hereditary treasuresof a kind aud quality but 

 seldom seen. 



" There now remains to notice the collections of pottery, whicli are contined almost 

 entirely to the lustered wares so well known and so highly appreciated all over the 

 world for their decorative ([ualities. Before describing tiiese, however, it is desirable 

 to allude to an altogether unexpected, though by no means unimportant, exhibit of 

 mosque lamps of ])ottery and glass sent by the Imperial Ottoman Museum at Con- 

 stantinople. 01 the jjottery lamps the most curious, though the least ornamental, is 

 one with two rows of handles, covered with oil gilding, and decorated only with two 

 narrow bands of inscription in blue, the rest of the surface being plain white; prob- 

 ably a product of the potteries either at Cairo or Damascus. Far more beautiful, 

 and of unusually large size, are two richly-colored lamps of Khodian ware, with 

 bosses round the lower part filled with elegant arabesque designs, the rest of the 

 surface covered with inscriptions and ornament. The red and turiiuoise colors are 

 of unusual brilliancy, and the execution of the ornament, as well as the outlines of 

 the lami)s themselves, leave nothing to be desired. Four small lamps, painted entirely 



